Christmas Cards and College Football

I know, I know, most of you do neither, however, I still do both. Saturday I set a goal of watching as much college football as possible, while still getting a start on my cards. Sitting at the dining room table, I began the annual task, which is not really the correct word, more like pleasure, of letting people know that they are important to our family. 

Most of the games were blowouts, however, the Seminoles, per usual, made it interesting. Jane and Michael invited us to join them at Marlow's Tavern, in Winter Park, to watch the game, which seemed like a good idea to me. Sitting at the bar, we shared our nervousness as the 'Noles finished up another perfect season. There are plenty who hate the Seminoles because of Jameis Winston's off-field problems, however, as you well know, I am not one of them. There are a heck of a lot of other players on that team who do not deserve scorn. I only wish they still showed the college bands at half time; I am more than sick of the talking heads who proclaim to know it all. End of rant.

Both Thursday and Friday I spent part of the day at the annual "holiday" show at AAA where my friend Ha works. It is such an easy place to set up that it is a no brainer for me to do it. They provide these wonderful carts to get stuff from the outside to the inside.

My friend, Annmarie Guzman, an amazing potter, was there as well. She walked into the bathroom, as I was taking this photo, remarking on that I was taking yet another photo. In my defense, I answered that I thought the sign was clever!

I don't know how people do "selfies" as I always look so funny while taking a photo! Both days were relatively quiet, so I got a good amount of reading done. Finally, I finished "Lila", so I stopped by the downtown library on my way home, to both return it, and get something new. Naturally, none of the books I'd written down were available, but I did pick up one just as I was leaving that turned out to be a real page turner. This review does a good job of explaining the book without giving too much away. Bet you want to know the title, don't you? "The Girl You Left Behind" would be it. I began reading late on Friday, finishing it by early Sunday afternoon, that is how much I enjoyed it! During that time, I went to a party on Friday night, out Saturday night, and the market to boot, so my description of a page turner rings true!

While on the subject of books, as it turns out, I wrote down none of the titles from this list of what the NYT editors deem to be the best books of 2014. Perhaps I should reconsider?

I've found it difficult not to photograph my dahlias daily as the color changes occurred--love the yellow turned soft pink!

The other morning, while on one of my not-often-enough bike rides, I noticed an electric green fly feasting on one of those fantastic Mexican sunflower blooms. Ain't nature fascinating?

And, is my custom, I photograph Christmas decorations that I either really like, or really don't. In this case, I love Cheryle's front porch display,

as well as my friend Sue's:

I find great pleasure seeing the different styles people bring to their Christmas decorations. 

So, I told you I had to go looking for something to festivize (my word), the dining table. I found two white candlesticks,

in truth, probably too tall, but I kind of liked them, whereas B was not so thrilled with the white. So, I had him paint them green, except then I did not like them, so, once again they are white, after a new spray paint job by Bruce. He's so good to me....

On my way home from AAA, I drove by the unsightly round building in front of the very sightly performing arts center--will they ever finish taking it down?

Talk about a contrast!!!

The market was slower than I'd seen it in many a moon, with lots of new vendors for non-existent customers. One of the displays was particularly cute--

Darling little pies!! Aren't they adorable? Throughout my years as a market vendor I've seen so many folks come and go--wondering how long this new batch will last. 

I suspect the weather played a big part in keeping folks away--gloomy to the max. Who can blame them? Certainly not I, who kept looking at her watch, willing the hours to pass. Plus it was chilly, so, a toxic mix for a market vendor. Anyway, once we were home and unpacked, Bruce put one of the fake logs in the fireplace and while sitting on the hearth to warm up, I asked him to photograph me so I might remember the cozy moment forever.

Please note cards still on the table; in fact, I'm signing off now to fold laundry and write more Christmas cards. 

Keeping traditions alive,
Gail

'Tis the Season

Just when I was bemoaning the quality of Christmas cards, look what showed up in our mailbox.

Could a card get much cuter? I was able to personally thank the sender as later on that day I was invited to join her, and some friends, for a little cocktail, well actually wine, gathering to welcome back a woman I did not previously know. Now I do know her, if only a little bit. Cheryl, before marrying David and moving to Orlando, had an interior design firm in Chicago for the last ten years or so. You can tell it by her handwriting can't you? Then too, the entrance to their home was very classy:

I have a thing for hanging ornaments as you may recall how I raved on and on about it when Trish did something similar on her front porch last year. That link includes a funny picture Bruce took of me kissing Santa Claus. Because of all the rain we had this time last year, I don't think I even saw the boat full of gifts.

The returning woman in question was previously a long term airbnb guest at Cheryl's home, visiting from The Isle of Wight, which, although I didn't actually see it myself, I've heard you can practically do so looking across the English Channel from Brighton. This visit she intends on staying in Florida for three months, nearly as long as last time, so you can see why they became friends on her last trip. It was a delightful evening. :)

I've been a wrapping fool, spending nearly all Thursday with this:

Note the pile on the fireplace in the background. What can I say--we have a large family. Some of the above paper suffered from the same lack of paper quality I noted regarding the cards. Boo hiss!

While doing the wrapping I would get up every now and again to change the Christmas cd, however, eventually I remembered about Pandora now being available on our television. In a case of a silver lining, on Thanksgiving day our cable went out. Now, with a brother-in-law who loves watching football on the holiday, this was not good. After an unsuccessful attempt by the friendly Bright House woman on the to fix it, she said I needed someone to come to the house. Great--it's 11:30 in the morning with the guests arriving at 3. Well, in a stroke of good luck, someone was available between 12-2. Perfect. The good fortune continued with the very nice technician giving us a spiffy new cable box, upgrades to our televisions without boxes, AND, setting up the wireless on the new Blue-Ray player! So, how's that for a silver lining???

Despite what one might think, I am no technical guru. Anything having to do with technology has been set up by either Bruce, Matt, or Jonathan. Except none of those three were available. What's a girl to do? Why, try doing it herself. I am so proud that I actually logged on without assistance, spending the remainder of the day listening to this:

Which was very convenient I must say.

Google is at it again, making snow happen on an old Christmas card:

I love this card, given to us before Bruce's Mom died. But then again, you knew that didn't you?

For the last few months a stray cat has been a visitor, generally coming up the walk to drink from the little bird bath sitting low to the ground that I have out front. She drinks, then meanders back down the walk, generally running across the street.

Yesterday, following an afternoon which saw Bruce putting up Christmas lights on our home for the first time that I can remember, she came over, rolled around on the walkway, then sauntered off. Saunter is just the word for how a cat moves isn't it? Both of us think someone must feed her as she looks healthy. What do you think?

Oh my gosh!! Today, driving down Old Winter Garden road towards home, following a very slow day at the market, I had to pull over to see this car up close, possibly the coolest car I have ever seen. The color!! The lines!!! The name!!

See those legs? I must have said hello six times before he finally raised his head from beneath the hood to acknowledge me. Wouldn't you know it--my camera battery died at the market leaving me with just my phone! It is a 1956 Mercury Montclair. If you did not know it already I'll tell you now that I grew up here in Orlando, about 3 or so miles from here, on Montclair Street. Moving to Orlando in 1957 from Buffalo, New York, I would have been just a little girl when this car was a year old. I wish you could have seen it in person.....today every parking lot is filled with a sea of silver cars, including mine, so when you see a vehicle with such great color you swoon all the more.

Tonight is Angela and Matt's housewarming party at the new house. In protest of her moving we shouldn't even be going but go we will. As well, another old neighbor, Chuck who lived directly across the street from us, moved with his wife Zoila and two boys, about two years ago. They too are having a party nearby. Let the merrymaking begin!

Tis the season you know....

Christmas Cards

Generally, I like to have my cards done by now, but what with all the decorating, selling, and shopping, I only just began the other evening, getting about ten done before calling it quits for the night. But, while doing so, I came to a name that I swore I must have misspelled in my address book. Because we receive cards from these folks I knew I might still have one from a previous year that I could check. You see, it is hard for me to throw the cards away. Often times they sit in one of the end table drawers for a few years, then I go through them, reminisce, and only after that am I able to put them in the recycling bin. Much to my delight I hadn't thrown them all away, and what a treasure trove I found. Here's one I'll probably always keep just because it is so wonderful.

The truth is that most of the cards for purchase use poor quality paper, with both silly images and sentiments. It is very hard to find a memorable Christmas card, or at least it is for me. The stack contained some other gems, including one from Bruce's mom that I will never throw away either. Furthermore there was one from my Mom's best friend that's a keeper too. As it turns out, I did have the correct spelling of Neil which does not follow the "i" before "e" rule except after "c."

More and more people are skipping the tradition, and I think that's a shame. Some might be doing so because of the expense, but even at our poorest, I always sent cards. They tell the story of your life, and those you know and love. As does my address book. Years ago I finally realized that penciling in the names and addresses was the way to go because some folks move a lot, including our son Matthew who since leaving home has lived in Tallahassee, Atlanta, Chicago, and now London where he has remained the longest; I can't see him leaving London anytime soon! I've yet to erase those who have died, or for that matter, divorced. Perhaps I should, but it is all part of the story...

Probably because of the poor quality of available cards, more and more people are sending their own including multiple photographs of either themselves, or their children. One that came this year was from Bruce's former boss who nearly died of Lymphoma. He's his former boss because he's taken a new position at Darden. The photographs show he and his wife enjoying a trip to Italy, something that seemed like an impossibility a year ago.

Have I made my case? Probably not, but what the heck, I tried!

In other news, where do you suppose pictures go that don't load into Picasa? Last night, uploading some from my Nikon, which included some photos of shutters I want Bill to use on his new house, they simply disappeared. I've re-booted multiple times, thinking perhaps they got caught up somewhere, but no dice. The card also contained some amusing decorated yards, which seem to be lost in cyberspace. Good thing I had taken this one with my Olympus when I went to get orange juice. Located a few blocks from Red Hill grove, it is astonishing to me how they fit so much onto one yard!

Because I took it out my car window, and because I had a fixed lens, you are only seeing the half of it!

I don't know why it is that I so like cute snowmen, having never once seen one in person, but I do. Dropping off some shirts at the dry cleaners the other day I came across this,

except it was only on the red counter. Because my Olympus is always in my handbag,  I had to get a shot of it. Trying my best not to include the clutter of the surroundings, it was not working, until, and that's a big until, this nice young woman,

said, "I have an idea, I'll hold up one of our bags behind it!" Now that's a plan! Remember the old Cheers song about where everyone knows your name? That would be the folks at Spencers Dry Cleaners who are all just as friendly as can be. I was reminded of something that happened about four or five years ago. It was the day I took an image at home that I thought was SO GOOD that I actually printed it on my home printer, something I never do, and took it with me to show them!!! Basically, Bruce must have been out of town, and I was so excited, I wanted to show it to somebody! I just checked my book, and my hunch was right--it has sold more than 60 times. Now, if I could just do that again!

Strawberries are in season again,

taken this past Sunday at the market. You can pretty much always buy spinach and green onions, but I thought this turned out nice, so I'm including it as well.

Something is going haywire with Blogger today, and frankly I've had enough of it. Perhaps it is because they want to make all my photos, "Auto Awesome", or so the notification states. Thanks Google, but I just want my photos back!

Because this is such an odd post, I guess I'll throw this one in for good measure. A sunflower that has seen better days:

I just checked the preview of this post and I don't see one sparkly image amongst them, making me think Google is having a bad day. Hope you have just the opposite.

Now, off to begin the wrapping marathon......